Bontebok/Blesbok
Damaliscus pygargus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderArtiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)
- FamilyBovidae (Bovids)
- GenusDamaliscus (Sassabies)
- SpeciesDamaliscus pygargus (Bontebok/Blesbok)
About the Bontebok/Blesbok
The bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus) is an antelope found in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia. D. pygargus has two subspecies; the nominate subspecies (D. p. pygargus), occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the blesbok (D. p. phillipsi) occurring in the Highveld.
The bontebok is related to the common tsessebe. The bontebok is a tall, medium-sized antelope. They typically stand 0.8 to 1 m (2.6 to 3.3 ft) high at the shoulder and measure 1.2 to 1.6 m (3.9 to 5.2 ft) along the head and body. The tail can range from 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in). Body mass can vary from 50 to 68 kg (110 to 150 lb). Males are slightly larger and noticeably heavier than females. The bontebok is a chocolate brown colour, with a white underside and a white stripe from the forehead to the tip of the nose, although there is a brown stripe across the white near the eyes in most blesbok. The bontebok also has a distinctive white patch around its tail (hence the Latin name), while this patch is light brown/tan in the blesbok. The horns of the bontebok are lyre-shaped and clearly ringed. They are found in both sexes and can reach a length of half a metre... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Gate Highlands National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 5 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 7 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 8 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bontebok/Blesbok in Golden Gate Highlands National Park?
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Bontebok/Blesbok sighting in Golden Gate Highlands National Park, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bontebok/Blesbok in Golden Gate Highlands National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Bontebok/Blesbok in Golden Gate Highlands National Park in our monthly data.